Coalition Requests Temporary Protected Status for Syrian Nationals

>PRWEB.COM Newswire

Washington, DC (PRWEB) January 30, 2012

On Wednesday, January 25th, United for a Free Syria (UFS), in close coordination with a broad coalition including the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), Syrian Expatriates Organization (SEO), Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF), Syrian Americans for Democracy (SAD), South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), and Refugee Council USA (RCUSA), has formally requested that the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, to Syrian nationals presently in the United States. The request was sent directly to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano.

UFS understands the urgent need to file for TPS and will continue the political lobbying behind this effort at the US Congress and the White House as well as all relevant agencies. The thorough petition has been sent not only to DHS, but also to the Office of the Secretary of State, the National Security Council, and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service. The petition cites numerous facts regarding the current Syrian regime’s atrocities from numerous international governmental and non-governmental organizations, including Human Rights Watch and the United Nations, among other reliable sources.

Under 8 U.S.C. § 1254a, the DHS may designate nationals from any foreign state or part of a foreign state for TPS if there is ongoing armed conflict within the state and, due to the conflict, requiring the return of nationals to that state or part of a state would pose a serious threat to their personal safety. In the context of escalating and “ongoing armed conflict,” and due to the brutality of the regime in the killing of civilians, requiring nationals to return to Syria “would pose a serious threat to their safety.”